Method and apparatus for audio broadcast of enhanced musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) data formats for control of a sound generator to create music, lyrics, and speech

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the transmission and reception of broadcasted instrumental music, vocal music, and speech using digital techniques. The data is structured in a manner similar to the current standards for MIDI data. Transmitters broadcast the data to receivers which contain internal sound generators or an interface to external sound generators that create sounds in response to the data. The invention includes transmission of multiple audio data signals for several languages on a conventional radio and television carrier through the use of low bandwidth data. Error detection and correction data is included within the transmitted data. The receiver has various error compensating mechanisms to overcome errors in data that cannot be corrected using the error correcting data that the transmitter sent. The data encodes for elemental vocal sounds and music.

Description

(B) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONSNone(c) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTN / A(d) REFERENCE TO MICROFICHEN / A(e) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the inventionThis invention relates to a method and apparatus for broadcasting of instrumental music, vocal music, and speech using digital techniques. The data is structured in a manner similar to the current standards for MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) data. The MIDI data is broadcasted to receivers which contain internal sound generators or an interface to external sound generators that create sounds in response to the MIDI data.2. Description of Related ArtCurrent broadcast techniques for radio and television utilize both analog and digital techniques for audio program broadcasting. For NTSC television, a subcarrier which is FM modulated provides the sound conveyance. For conventional radio broadcasting, either AM or FM modulation of a carrier is utilized to convey the audio prog...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Use of MIDI data enables the data rates to be greatly reduced and thus permits the inclusion of large quantities of error correction data. This feature will help overcome random and burst errors in the data transmission. Other novel data processing features are also included in the receiver processor to mitigate any data errors which remain uncorrected by the error correction process.

It is an object of this invention to have the MIDI data rates very low, thereby making the broadcast signals relatively immune to multipath corruption.

It is further an object of this invention that the receiver has anti-ciphering logic to mitigate the effects of lost MIDI data by inserting new MIDI data to ensure proper control and operation of the sound generator. Because about one-half of all MIDI data is error detection and error correction data, this invention is extremely robust, permitting the accurate production of sound even under poor broadcasting conditions.

It is an object of this invention that the receiver processor, under user control, can censor vocal sounds or words by selectively blocking specific words, phrases, or sounds which the listener desires to refrain from being heard or played. It is further an object that the receiver processor compares the received MIDI data encoding for words with those MIDI data encoding for words deemed to be undesirable and inhibiting the output of those MIDI data or substituting the undesirable MIDI data with other MIDI data encoding for acceptable words. It is also an object of this invention that selected words, sounds, or other noises can be selectively blocked at the receiver from being generated by the sound generator. It is also an object of this invention that words and sounds can be substituted at the receiver for selected words and sounds by substituting the data encoding for the new words and sound for the selected words and sounds.

It is also an object of this invention that the receiver processor, under user control, can adjust selectively the sound level of the data paths containing voice signals and even adjust selectively the level of certain phonemes for enhanced clarity of speech and also do the same for the vocal parts within a song. This feature may be particularly beneficial to persons with hearing impairments. It is an object of the invention that the receiver processor alters the velocity byte of the selected MIDI data to adjust the sound level. It is also an object of this invention that the velocity byte for selected sounds or words can be adjusted at the receiver, thereby adjusting the loudness of the generated sounds encoded by the data.

Problems solved by technology

Furthermore, standard MIDI data also does not currently provide for generation of vocal sounds, except for vocal "Ohh" and "Ahh".

As such, it is not capable of encoding the lyrics of a song or encoding speech.

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